The Darkest Day buddy read discussion
The Root Of Evil - Chapters 9-12
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Yes Gunnar's connection to the killer is killing me - how?? if he is the Gunnar in the hilidY group, the author is going to have to do some fancy footwork to make it happenYour Mexico story is chilling William, Yikes!!!
I agree with you, Nattington, Anna's mother is some piece of work :(
Howdy peeps,I have to confess, I got no reading done over the weekend. It's "that time of year". And I also thought I was up to Chapter 12, having read Chapter 11, not realising there was another Notes from Mousterlin (Part II) to read first.
Whoa! All I can say is what a nightmare. Like one of those things you desperately wish you could change, or wish you'd wake up and realise it was just a dream. Only it's not. And it happened.
Marko, did you get the Patricia Highsmith vibe from this chapter? It felt very Tom Ripley to me. I was half expecting Alain Delon (a la "Plein Soleil") to pop up on the beach.
"I looked at my watch. It was eleven thirty. I looked at the sky. It was azure blue. The sea was still largely a smooth mirror, the seagulls drifting in lazy ellipses, and it came home to me that I was at the mercy of these people. For a whole day. Why did I get myself into this?"
The build up of eeriness, despite the blinding sunshine when they set off in the boat for the discreet islands. You just knew no good could come of it.
" 'Ideal,' said Anna. ' Just white beaches and turquoise sea.'
'Food and wine and warm skin,' Gunnar added."
If only they knew...this is why you shouldn't take booze to the beach.
Is it just me, or does Nesser seem to have a bit of a fixation with masturbation (of course it rhymes...). He mentioned it at least three times in the last few chapters. And let's not forget poor old "Wanker Rob" from Book 1.
And the whole skinny dipping thing. Is this to really bring home the point about how differently people act when on holiday to being at home?
Do you think the outcome would have been the same if Katarina or one of the others had taken Troaë up on deck to be ill over the side of the boat? Was it one of those random moments in life where it would have happened anyway? Or if it had been anyone but our narrator, would the outcome still be the same?
I'm curious of how much Troaë told this group of strangers about herself is true. Like the narrator was thinking, it could well be it was all "embellished" and she was indeed a local. And didn't live with her Grandma etc etc. I'm guessing this may be revealed eventually. Poor kid.
I've also decided now that the narrator is definitely a bloke. I was hovering before, but something in the tone has changed.
Anyhoo, after this I really will be up to Chapter 12! Hoping to get a stack of reading done tonight - will just have to not watch the cricket ;-)
This is sadly true. They're all equally negligent with allowing a kid to tag along with them.Please tell me that turtle (iguana?) is a vegetarian.
Nat wrote: "Howdy peeps,I have to confess, I got no reading done over the weekend. It's "that time of year". And I also thought I was up to Chapter 12, having read Chapter 11, not realising there was another..."
Hey Nattington, you know I did feel a Highsmith vibe from that bit, nothing was going to be good about this. Why on earth did this young girl come along? It also had touches of Lolita about it. One couldn't help liking the kid, but she pushed the boundaries.
You know - this is only my second Nesser book - but this guy is good, there are stories within the story, narratives within the narrative - it's brilliant!!
Okay his obsession about masturbation - I can't comment about his other books, but it is funny and you're right. I suppose 'twice' isn't quite an obsession but this scenario was quite similar wasn't it?
Brilliant - can I give this 5 -stars now????
William wrote: "I think the Swedes decision-making was about as bad as it gets, but I didn't get the vibe the narrator was negligent in letting her fall. He was trying to hold on to a kid in the middle of a storm ..."Well you're right William, I am sure - if I was there I would've said "She can't come on board" BUT...... we weren't there so who knows.
Don't talk to Nattington about the cricket, I'm a Pom and the Aussies flogged us :(
Mark wrote: "William wrote: "I think the Swedes decision-making was about as bad as it gets, but I didn't get the vibe the narrator was negligent in letting her fall. He was trying to hold on to a kid in the mi..."Looking forward to the day/nighter that starts in Adelaide today Marko?
William wrote: "I suppose it's better than unihockey, at least according to Backman.Mark wrote: "William wrote: "I think the Swedes decision-making was about as bad as it gets, but I didn't get the vibe the narr..."
Cricket is way more interesting than unihockey. Especially when it's The Ashes at stake 🏏🇦🇺 v 🇬🇧 = 🙃
William wrote: "I briefly considered making a dumb comment about a sport with a funeral urn as a prize. Then I thought that sounded too silly. Then I Googled it."
Ha ha ha, the 2nd Test starts in Adelaide today. Let's go! 🏏
Chapter 17So the killer is possibly the one leaking info to the press? Interesting 🤔
Loving the humour.
"Jonnerblad clicked his biro and Asunader his false teeth."
Maybe they could start an acapella band 🎶
Nat wrote: "Chapter 17So the killer is possibly the one leaking info to the press? Interesting 🤔
Loving the humour.
"Jonnerblad clicked his biro and Asunader his false teeth."
Maybe they could start an aca..."
Bahahaha - the humour is one of the things I really enjoy about this author Nattington!
Nat wrote: "William wrote: "I briefly considered making a dumb comment about a sport with a funeral urn as a prize. Then I thought that sounded too silly. Then I Googled it."
Ha ha ha, the 2nd Test starts i..."
After we got thumped in the 1st Test my phone was running hot with abusive sms's and messages from elated Aussies. It's gonna be a long, long summer for this Pommy Bastard!!
William wrote: "I briefly considered making a dumb comment about a sport with a funeral urn as a prize. Then I thought that sounded too silly. Then I Googled it."
Hahahaha - it does sound silly doesn't it William? But oh boy - is it taken seriously
May the best team win Marko.The Aussies. Of course ☺
Enjoy!
Nat wrote: "May the best team win Marko.The Aussies. Of course ☺
Enjoy!"
😂
Finally read it through chapter 12 (for some reason I haven’t been in a mood to read a mystery novel lately, but the mood is coming back).That whole dragging Troaë along thing is just so odd. Six adults just following the whims of barely a teenager who seems to be giving them pretty shady stories about her background.
I assumed at that point that Erik would have sex with the kid and the rest would either cover it up or maybe he’d kill her after and the rest again would cover it up for the fear of being implicated. (And he definitely did something with her, for now I guess just left to our imagination). I did not expect her death in a boating accident.
It’s interesting seeing police really not knowing what to do about these murders. It’s likely a much more realistic portrayal than what we often get in detective stories.
I had exactly the same assumptions as you Nataliya. The boating accident came completely left of centre.
Unless the notes lie and it turns out to not have been an accident but a murder cover-up…. However, I don’t think so for some reason.Also, Anna Eriksson’s mother is disgusting.
Nataliya wrote: "Unless the notes lie and it turns out to not have been an accident but a murder cover-up…. However, I don’t think so for some reason.Also, Anna Eriksson’s mother is disgusting."
Her Mum is certainly horrible!!
Nataliya wrote: "… but who is Hans Anderssen?"Good question Nataliya............this book is as good as the first hey?
I like it more so far because Barbarotti cracks me up, and he made an early appearance this time.
Nataliya wrote: "I like it more so far because Barbarotti cracks me up, and he made an early appearance this time."Yes I agree with the earlier appearance part for sure. Barbarotti is very funny and so is Backman - the characters are great. Asanunder, and his teeth, crack me up!
Nataliya wrote: "I like it more so far because Barbarotti cracks me up, and he made an early appearance this time."Page 1! 🎉
Mark wrote: "Nataliya wrote: "I like it more so far because Barbarotti cracks me up, and he made an early appearance this time."Yes I agree with the earlier appearance part for sure. Barbarotti is very funny ..."
Barbarotti grows ever more quirky. Imagine awarding God 10 bonus points in one hit!
And the lines with Asanuder are truly funny. Imagine working with him. You'd have to be good at lip reading as his sentences are so garbled. Imagine him now with mask wearing. You'd have zero clue what he's communicating.
Nat wrote: "Nataliya wrote: "I like it more so far because Barbarotti cracks me up, and he made an early appearance this time."Page 1! 🎉"
That’s right. He’s such an oddball.
I'm reading Chapter 22.I still can't work out where the title The Root of all Evil is stemming from?
Ok, answered my own question with where the title came from. Though I have to admit I don't understand? Maybe it will become clearer. The acronym is so odd. Why would Henrik create it? It's appalling.
I still think that Barbarotti knows the narrator/letter writer somehow. I know it seems unlikely, but what if he was the Gunnar on the beach? Though as Bill pointed out, the timeline is wrong. But I can't read maps either, so timelines don't matter to me much (ummm....).
Anna Erikson's mother is appalling. Nesser's description of her is both appalling and amusing at the same time. Not quite how you'd imagine a mother to act/react to news of her daughter's murder. Dressed up to the nines, like she'd just been to a salon to get her hair and makeup done. What an awful snob! With very strong views on migration . I can just picture her in my mind.
Up to Chapter 12...